


Taking a Chance

by TheShortestManOnEarth



Series: Jam Bud Week 2020 [2]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Aged up characters, Awkward Flirting, Did I mention the sap?, Fluff, Jam Bud Week 2020, Karaoke, Sappy, Singing, You'll want pancakes for all the sap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:54:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23304967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheShortestManOnEarth/pseuds/TheShortestManOnEarth
Summary: Connie and Steven go to a karaoke lounge and Connie tries her hardest not to awkwardly gawk at her best friend (and fails miserably). It's time to even the score.This takes place a few years post my other fic "Someday" after Connie and Steven have left for college.
Relationships: Connie Maheswaran & Steven Universe, Connie Maheswaran/Steven Universe
Series: Jam Bud Week 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1673545
Comments: 3
Kudos: 63





	Taking a Chance

**Author's Note:**

> Hey All,
> 
> Here is my story I wrote for the "Singing" prompt for Jam Buds Week 2020. It's pretty cheesy and sappy. But we all need some sap right now with the latest episodes. 
> 
> This takes place a few years after "Someday" ends. I was thinking of waiting to post this, but since it doesn't spoil super much for the sequel, I'm posting it anyways. 
> 
> More Jam Buds Week submissions will be incoming this week (possibly a fanart if I have the time to draw). 
> 
> Hope you all enjoy this.

Music was a crucial part of who Steven was. He’d been raised by a former rock star, grown up wearing old band tees, and playing a wider array of instruments than most members of the band in Connie’s school. He never had to think twice when he figured out a new tune. 

_His mind is probably written in sheet music,_ Connie thought with some amusement. It hadn’t taken long for Connie to feel like Steven himself was just a constant stream of notes, beats, measures, and harmonies. His appearance in her life was a crescendo, perhaps a bit over the top, but it had grabbed her attention. She couldn’t help but be pulled along. Soon enough she’d started bringing her violin to their hang out sessions. They’d started making their own rhythms. Songs only they knew. 

It was a different kind of intimacy than what Connie had at home. Music wasn’t big and emotional. Connie’s parents preferred more classical music, if any at all. Steven on the other hand put his heart into every song, every lyric, every single note. It didn’t matter how complicated or simple it was, he could sing it like it was personal. 

A quiet afternoon had left them with some free time, a rare occurrence these days in between both of their college classes, and Steven was fiddling with the strings on his ukulele when a giant grin spread across his face. “Hey.” He poked her with his toe. She threw him a raised eyebrow. 

“Hey yourself,” She said. He chuckled. “What’s on your mind?” She could read him better than anyone. He clearly had an idea he was bursting to tell her. 

“So, we’re not doing anything right now and you’re free the rest of tonight, right?” Steven asked, setting his uke down as he leaned over the side of the bed to look at her from her seated position on the floor. 

“Out with it, Universe,” She elbowed him lightly and smirked. 

“Let’s go do Karaoke!” He blurted. 

“Steven, I can’t sing.” Connie’s words took the wind out of his energetic sails and he looked like a balloon someone had taken a pin to. 

“I know for a fact, Miss Knight,” He said with a dubious quirk of his brow, “That’s not even a little true.” She sighed. “Come on, we used to sing all the time together as kids.” 

“As _kids_ ,” Connie emphasized. “I haven’t sung since then. It’s been years.” Steven grinned broader, her objections in one ear and out the other. 

“All the more reason to go,” He said and grabbed her hand. “Come on. You can pick most of the songs.” She looked hesitant and then at the sight of his big pleading eyes, her resolve broke. It was not a good sign that all he had to do was give her a sweet look and she was a puddle of goo. It had gotten worse since he’d gotten older too. She could handle him singing though. Right? 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Wrong. 

She’d conveniently forgotten that Steven could sing any tune, any time, anywhere, and it would sound absolutely incredible. After she’d gone to Jayhawk, she’d only seen Steven over video call a few times a week. They hadn’t had quality time together in almost a year and in the half hour they’d already spent at the Karaoke place, all these memories of their jam sessions came flooding back. 

Her attention left her mind as she listened to Steven’s over the top rendition of “Haven’t You Noticed”. While she hadn’t been on the Beach on the night he’d sung the song for Beachapalooza, she’d seen the video of it that someone had taken. With a loud belting of “And everyone can see me burning!” His eyes came to rest on her, twinkling with all the stars in the galaxy. She was regretting letting him pay for a private singing booth. Now she had nothing to distract herself from the giant toothy grin that she didn’t realize would give her heart failure. It took a few minutes to realize he’d stopped singing. 

“Your turn,” Steven said, offering her the microphone. “You choose a song this time.” Connie tried to keep calm as she took it. 

“Okay, but I can’t promise it won’t be terrible,” She said with a sigh. Steven chuckled. 

“Nothing you do could be terrible. You’re amazing no matter what.” Steven stated with a warm smile. Only Steven could say something so incredibly sweet and kind of flirty with a straight face. Connie sucked in her breath. This was going to hard to do in front of him. 

She flipped through the songbook and settled on her choice. As she clicked in the order number, Steven’s eyes never left her. There was a slight tilt to his head, subtle enough that if she weren’t so self-aware now, she might have missed it. Right now, the combined expression and tilt was one that she swore was out of adoration. Internally she laughed at herself. _There’s no way that’s true._

“Oh, good choice!” Steven called and nudged her shoulder with his hand. She felt all the blood rise to her face. She stood up abruptly and moved closer to the screen, trying to hide her flushed face. Thankfully the song started, allowing her focus to shift to the lyrics to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin” on the screen. 

“Just a small-town girl,” Connie started to sing. “Living in a lonely world.” Out of the corner of her eye she saw Steven almost bouncing on the couch. His hands went to his mouth, not wanting to interrupt her solo. She couldn’t help but smile. His boundless enthusiasm for everything and everyone around him was one of her favorite things about him. “She took the midnight train going anywhere.” 

Connie grinned when she saw him leaning forward on his elbows. “Just a city boy,” her eyes met his and despite the blush still on her cheeks she found herself relaxing a little as she continued singing. “Born and raised in South Detroit…” 

“He took the midnight train going anywhere,” Steven sang softly. Connie laughed and elbowed him. 

“Couldn’t you help yourself, huh?” She said, smirking at the sheepish look on his face. 

“Singing is my weakness,” Steven said and sat back. “Promise I won’t interrupt anymore.” They both knew he couldn’t keep that promise. She started singing and within thirty seconds he was singing again too. Connie sighed and picked up the second microphone. 

“Alright, Biscuit,” She said, “Let’s duet.” Steven jumped up so fast that Connie was sure he floated for a second. He took the mic and within seconds they were belting “Don’t stop believin’!” at full volume. Their eyes met a few times. It was hard to stay on the sidelines when Steven was around. He had an infectious way of inspiring people, and gems, for that matter, to be their best selves. Even when she had deciding to take up sword training to be his knight, he’d insisted they were a team. Why would singing be any different? 

They finished the song with gusto, taking turns yelling the chorus, and giggling. When the music faded out, Connie sat back on the couch with a laugh as she caught her breath. Steven joined her, grabbing the songbook and putting it in his lap. 

“Ready for round two?” He wiggled his eyebrows. She shoved him lightly. 

“Ha, ha, I need to catch my breath, not everyone can sing non-stop like you can,” She said, jerking her head towards the book. “You go ahead. Pick something fun.” His eyes flicked back to the book as he ran through the titles. 

“Hmm, oh!” He bounced up again and floated to the floor. Connie smiled. It was nice to know that he was so upbeat now. She hadn’t seen him this floaty in a while. 

“Get ready,” Steven said, turning around. Connie raised an eyebrow, unsure of what she was in for with the smirk he threw her way. 

“When I wake up,” Steven started. Connie couldn’t help but roll her eyes at his terrible attempt at imitating the accent of the lead singer of the Proclaimers. “Well, I know I’m gonna be, I’m gonna be the man who wakes up next to you. When I go out,” He turned his head to face her. “Yeah I know I’m gonnna be the man who goes along with you.” 

Connie smirked and laughed at the goofy smile on his face as he sang, his voice getting slowly louder as the song slowly made its way into the energetic chorus. “But I would walk 500 miles, and I would 500 more,” He slowly made his way over to her, fixing her with a long stare as he sang. Connie once again felt her face beginning to flush. This was just a song. Why did he have that effect on her? 

His voice dropped a few octaves as he sang, “Just to be the man who walks a thousand miles to fall down at your door Da-da-da!” He took her hand and pulled her up with him. She stumbled forward, her hand landing on his chest for balance as she looked up at him. “Come on!” He called. They then took turns yelling “Dad-dad-da!” until the chorus ended. 

She settled back on the couch as the song got to part of the end, “When I come home, when I come home, well I know I’m gonna be the man who comes back home to you.” She didn’t hear the rest of the song as her thoughts drifted to seeing herself sitting on a couch, just like this, having finished work and Steven coming in the door, singing as he was now. It was silly. They were just two friends singing together. 

Steven’s body flopping back onto the couch with a tired huff brought her back as he gave her a smile. “Your turn again.” He was smiling, breathing from all the loud singing, and some sweat clung to the curls hanging across his forehead from exertion and the warmth of the room. Steven had no idea the effect he had on her. 

When they were kids, it was an innocent crush, she saw him as a hero out of a storybook. It was pure, free from worry or the concerns they had now as adults who had lived through fights with gems. Two brown eyes followed her, as if questioning her thoughts. Now he was older. She was older. He’d gotten taller, his once proud single facial hair had been joined by a hundred more in the form of a light unruly beard. His hair was longer too. It took some getting used to, but she found herself wanting to run her fingers through the waves that draped down his neck out of his ponytail. 

She had to do something before she let herself brush those curls from his face. A quick choice from the book saved her from the clear questioning look he was giving her when they hadn’t said anything for a full two minutes. 

Something inside her wanted him to feel as helpless as she did when they were together. She was supposed to be his knight. His defender. How was she supposed to do that if he kept making her freeze every time he looked at her, or smiled, or just walked into a room. _Oh no._

She was saved by the song once again from awkward questioning. A few moments after typing she clicked on one, she thought might just get Steven back for giving her premature heart problems. The soft instrumental filled the booth and he sat, his mind clearly trying to place the name of this song. She smirked. He likely wouldn’t know this one since he didn’t know too many songs outside of the CDs and mix tapes Greg shared with him. Her eyes closed as she began to sing Emily King’s “Second Guess.” 

“I’ll be the one to love you when there’s no one else around. Be the one to hold you when the others let you down. We can plan a holiday, somewhere nice and warm. I can be your everything, your shelter from the storm.” 

There was a wild shift in the things that scared Connie Maheswaran over the course of her life. When she was younger, it was getting up in front of other people and dancing or giving a presentation. She didn’t like being around a lot of other kids, afraid that they’d judge her for being buried in her books. Then Steven put her in a bubble, and she had feared dying alone at the bottom of the Ocean for a brief moment. As they grew up, she saw the onslaught of gems and gem mutants that wanted to hurt Steven and suddenly presentations seemed like a childish fear. Nothing in her life could have prepared her for the drive she had to make sure that no one could remove the smile she’d grown so fond of from her best friend’s face. She found the courage to step up next to him, to stand beside him, and face past fears in order to defend him and her own mind from new ones. 

“Oh, why not take a chance. Oh, why not let these hearts go,” She sang and as her eyes opened, she saw that Steven was watching her, a quiet smile playing across his lips. “This could be a moment, something worth holding onto.” There was something different about him as he sat there than when she’d started singing. He was leaning forward on his legs, his head propped up on his hand as he watched. His eyes were big, soft, and he was silent. No singing behind her, just a gentle gaze as he listened to her voice. 

She trailed off at the look. The instrumental kept going, but at this point they weren’t listening anymore. Steven stood up from the couch. “I can make you happy, never ever sad. Never ever treat you like you’re not the best.” She said, speaking the words. They were inches apart now. 

“This is something special,” He said. Her eyes widened. So, he _did_ know the lyrics. Her mind reeled. Then why hadn’t he joined in? 

“You weren’t singing,” She pointed out. He laughed nervously, taking one of her hands in his. A faint tint of pink was on his face now. 

“I guess I forgot to,” He said. Her eyebrows would have hit the roof of the room if they weren’t attached to her face at the sound of those words. Wow. Had she rendered Steven Universe speechless? She reached out with her free hand then and brushed the bangs from his face. The blush on his cheeks deepened as she leaned in and brushed her lips against his. Then with a satisfied grin, she pressed the mic into his hand. 

“Your turn, Biscuit.” She then sat back on the couch and listened as he stammered his way through another song, unable to look her in the eyes. She could get used to this.


End file.
